Rifle.



A. MERCER.

RIFLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1917.

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A. MEQER.

MME.

APPLacMmH msn MAY i911.

Patented 0st. 29, ISHS.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI 2.

ALFONSO MERCER, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

RFLE.

Application ined May 3, 1917.

T 0 all whom t may concern.'

` Be it known that I, ALFONSO MERCER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and' mseful improvements in Rifles; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,- refe'rence being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in rapid-fire rifles especially designed for military use and intended to enable a soldier to lire a number of rounds rapidly and with great precision from the gun while held as an ordinary ride is held;` and the invention includes novel manually operable means controlled by a reciprocatory bar for inserting a cartridge from a holder into the barrel, securely locking it therein, exploding it, and then extracting the shell; a cartridge holder, and means for operating same so as to bring a fresh cartridge into position to be operated on by said means after each tiring operation.

The invention has particular reference to the means for operating and locking the breech-bolt so that when the gun is ready to lire the breech bolt will be rigidly locked against retract-ion; and means whereby the lock can be released and the breech-bolt retracted, the cartridge shell extracted,- and the cartridge holder shifted so as to bring a fresh cart-ridge into position. The invention also includes novel means whereby premature firing of a cartridge is prevented.

I will explain the invention with reference to the embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings to enable others to readily understand and utilize the same; and summarize in the claims the novel features and combinations of parts for which pro tection is desired.

n said drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the i gun showing the breech-bolt retracted.

Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof showing the breech-bolt projected and the cartridge inserted just ready to fire.

. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 3`3 Fig. 1.

Fig. 4E is a detail section on line 4--4 Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the breech-bolt and cartridge shell extracting devices.

specicaon of Letters' Patent.

Patented oct. es, 191s.

serial No'. 166,193.

Referring'to the drawings, 1 designates the breech casing or frame in and on which the main operative parts are mounted; the barrel 1a is attached to one end of this casing, and a stock lb of any suitable construe tion may be attached to the other end thereof, so that the gun externally resembles au ordinary rifle. A

Slidably mounted within the casing 1, in axial alinement with the barrel la, is a breech-bolt 2 which is adapted to be moved toward and from the barrel 1a a distance slightly greaterI than the length of a regulation cartridge to be used with the gun.

This breech-bolt is guided in a suitable bor'e in the casing l and has no radial or lateral movement, and it is provided on its .under side with a depending lug 2a to which is pivoted a locking abutment 3; which may be connected thereto by a pin 3a; but the end of the abutment 8 adjacent the pivot is preferably rounded and fitted in a circular shoulder 2b within the lug 2a so as to relieve the pivot 3a of strain.`

The free end of the locking abutment 3 is also preferably rounded as at 31 to engage a correspondingly rounded surface of a fixed abutment 1c formed within the casing 1.

At the top' and in rear of this abutment 1c is a guide 1d upon which the abutment 3 may rest as indicated in Fig. 1 when the abutment is raised and the breech-bolt retracted.

The locking abutment 3 is provided with a depending linger 3C that projects at an angle to the abutment 3, and preferably has a slot and pin engagement, indicated at 3d, with a sliding bar lwhieh isv suitably guided in the casing 1 and is suitably connected with exterior `hand pieces and 4b by which it can be' manually reciprocated bv the hand of the operator, the casing being slotted as shown at 1n to permit the reciprocatory movements of the bar and hand pieces. y

lWhen bar 4: is pulled inward the abutment 3 will be first thrown upward by reason of the engagement of the bar with arm 3c so that the locking abutment 3 will clear the abutment 1", and then the'bar 4, abutment 3 and breech-bolt 2' can all be moved backward from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1; and thus fully retract the breech-bolt, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, if the bar is moved outward the breechsbo'lt is projected toward the barrel and the abutment Sislides Lon the guide 1d* until it reaches the abutment 1c and then engages therewith as indicated in 2, firmly locking the breech bolt in its projected pos1 tion. Y

lfV the cartridge C has been inserted inthe'V barrel 1"L while the breech-bolt was retracted it would be firmly heldin the barrel by'the .breech-bolt, when the latter is projected into the position shown in Fig. 2, and the cartridge may then be safely inafter described.y

' cally rotatively shifting. the holder 5each The cartridges are preferably automatie cally fed between the breech-bolt, when 'ref tracted, and the ba'rrellar by any suitable means.

Preferably I employ an annular holder 5 which can be slipped over the barrel and end of the casing l into .the position shown in Fig. l, and said ring can be supported and guided on a supp'ort le formed on or attached to the casing l. f

vThe holder carries .an annular series `of time that a cartridge is fired so that when the breech-bolt is retracted after the firing of aV cartridgethe holder 5 will bemoved sufliciently-Vto bring 'a fresh cartridge into position .between the breech-bolt and the barrel.' f Y Y In the drawings the holder 5 is shownV as provided with notches 5C on its under side, one for each clip 5a, and these notches are adapted .torbe engaged by a spring-actuated pawl 6a pivotally mounted on an arm 6 fulcrumed on a pin 6b attached to aV lug lf'in Vthe casing or bearing le Y (see Fig. 3); this lever 6 may be normally retracted by a spring 6C as shown; and the part 6d of said le-ver is adapted to engage with a cam 4V on the upper side of the sliding bar` 4l; Vsaid cam being so formed and located that at the proper time during the return: movement of Y the bar 4 the lever -6 will berocked to impart sufficient Yrotatorial movement to the cartridge holder 5 to move an empty clip 5 out of .theway of the breech-bolt and bringV a fresh cartridge into position betweenv the Vbreech-bolt and the barrel la.

y WV hen bar 4 is moved inward the lever 6 willvbe `moved' upward by cam 4, and the pawl 6a will engage a notch Y5c andY move they holder one notch or step'.y The holder may be prevented from turning backward yby means Vof a pawl 6"V (see Fig. 3) pivoted on a exploded, as herey Vposition 'showninFigx l, and Vit is shifted .Y before thebreech-bolt is projected, vso that lug Y6p and held operative position by a spring 6". When the bar l is moved outward spring 6 retracts the lever 6 andpawl 6"L so that upon the next inward movement of the bar 4 the holder will be moved another step. Any suitable means may bepro- 1 vided for impartingV the necessary` movement to the holder; and while I prefer to use a ring-shaped holder, I do not consider the invention Vrestricted to the employment of such a ring-shaped holder. Y

rThe cartridge holder is AIlot shifted until after the 'breech-bolt. has Ybeen retracted clear of the holder and just before it reaches'the as the breech-boltis projected its forward end engages theishouldered'end of the car-V tridge and pushes same from and through theclip into the'barreljle; in this lmovement the breech-bolt passes through -theclip.

On the outer end of the breech-bolt 2/is a lower lip 2- which is adapted to engage under the` rim of the'cartridgeV C, see Fig. 5, and partially support the same. vAttached to the breech-bolt oppositethe lip 2h is an extractor finger orspring 2 having a hook 2j onvits free end opposite the lip 2h,- which hook will engage overthe upper end of the rim ofv the cartrdgeand clamp the rim lagainst the 'lpfZh 4so thatvwhen the breechbol-t is retracted, (see Figs, l, 5 and 6.) the extractor hoolr2jv will; withdraw-the exkploded f cartridge shell -from the barrel breech.Y f.

When the cartridge shell has been ex'- tracted from the barrel, it may, ifV desired,

b e knocked out of the way byany'suita'ble means, (notl Shown) Ybut as shown theextractor finger 2. is provided with a lug 2 near itsfree end which lag is adapted to en- Y gage a beveled slot 2 inthe top of the casing adjacent the breech-bolt, and when vthe breech-bolt moves inwardly the free end of extractor 2j is raised so as to release the empty shell and 'leave it in the clip from which-itl was removed. Y Y

' The breech-bolt 2 is bored for the passage of a firing pin 7, the stem lofwhic'h extends outwardly through an 'opening in the soY end wall of the'casing 1. Said .firing pin is Y normally forcibly projected inward byi meansk of a spring 7brinterposed between a collar 7c on the stem andthe end wall of the casing 1. The collarA 7? is'adaptedr t0 abutV against the inner end of the breech-bolt and arrest the forward movement of the firing pin after it has exploded the cartridge. When the breechfbolt is moved backward 1t engages-collar?C and moves the firing pin also backward, Vtensioning` .spring 7b, until ythe lug 7e on the collar engages a spring-ac-V tuated catch lever 8, pivotedc'at 8a within thecasing 1. The long arm Srof the catch; 8 is adapted toV be engaged by a iinger 9b on a trigger 9, which is pivoted at 92l in the cas ing, and projects so that it can be operated by the finger in the usual manner, said trigger being protected by the usual fingerguard 9d.

To the finger 9b may be attached a pin 9C which, when the breech-block is retracted, lies over a rearward Vextension 4c of the slide 4 and is upheld thereby so that when in such position a pull on the trigger cannot release the catch 8. This extension 4C is of such length that it does not clear the pin 9c until j ust as or after the breech-bolt hasseated the Y cartridge in the barrel and the locking abut- Y the breech-block is securely seated and locked ready for firing.

It will be seen that upon the inward or rearward movement of the breech-block 2 as described the firing pin is cocked and locked `by the catch 8, putting spring 7h under tension and just after the breech block has securely pressed a cartridge into the barrel as indicated in Fig. 2 the extension 4C of the slide disengages pin 9z and then by a pull on the trigger the firing pin may be released, whereupon the spring 7b will drive the liring pin outward and explode the cartridge.

Operation.

When it is desired to use the rifle the prop er holder is positioned thereon, while the breech-bolt is retracted to the position shown in Fig. l, so that a cartridge in a clip on the holder will be positioned between the end of the breech-bolt and the barrel; then, when it is desired to fire the riiie, the bar 4 and the breech-bolt are projected forwardly by pulling the hand piece 4a or4b outwardly; in its outward movement the breech-bolt engages the butt of the cartridge and slides it endwise through the clip on the holder into f the barrel lL to the position shown in Fig. 2;

leaving the firing pin 7 cocked in the position shown in Fig. 2. The rim of the cartridge is engaged between the linger 2 and the hook 2j of the extractor. When the breech-bolt has securely seated the cartridge in the barrel it can be exploded by pulling the trigger 9, which is then freed from the control bar 4.

Upon the return movement. of the bar 4 and breech-bolt the cartridge shell is eX- tracted from the barrel by the hook 2j and in the example shown is drawn back into the same clip from which the cartridge was taken; but as or before the shell is pulled back to its original position in the clip the lug 2 on the extract-or engages bevel 20 and causes the hook to disengage the shell which is then retained in the clip. Just after the hook and breech-bolt clear the clip the cam 4c Von bar 4 engages lever 6 and imparts a suiiicient movement to the cartridge holder to carry the clip containing the empty shell out of the way and bring another clip containing a fresh cartridge into position between the breech-bolt and the barrel so that on the next outward movement of the breech-bolt another cartridge will be inserted in the barrel, and may be iired as desired.

Vhile a rotary cartridge holder is shawn any suitable form of cartridge holder might be used in connection with my rifle. Whe-n the breech-bolt is fully projected, as shown in Fig. 2, the abutment 3 engaging the fixed Vabutment lC forms a positive lock and solid bearing between the breeeh-boltpand the casing` or stock so that the breech-bolt is securely held and the shock is transmitted practieallvsolidly through the breech-bolt to the casing l. l

The abutments 3 and lc may be so shaped that they will practically wedge on the outward pull or movement of the bar 4; and on the inward movement of the bar 4 the abutment 3 will be raised clear of the abutment lc so that the breech-bolt can be retracted. The extension 4e of the bar 4 forms a safety device to prevent a pull 0n the trigger releasing the firing pin prematurely.

If the cartridge holder is removed a Single cartridge can be inserted in the barrel by hand and locked therein by the forward movement of the breech-bolt, and fired in the manner described.

F rom the foregoing description and the drawings those familiar with the art can readily adapt and use the invention, and modify specific features thereof according to the size or character of cartridges to be employed within the scope of the invention while retaining the essential features thereof. Thile the invention is shown as embodied in a rifle to be carried by an individual in place Of the ordinary rifle, it could be readily adapted for larger guns by properly proportioning and modifying the parts to suit the heavier projectiles employed. If desired the barrel could be removable and interchangeable in the well known manner so that in case it should become over-heated another barrel might be easily substituted therefor.

What l claim is:

l. In a gun the combination of a barrel, a. slidable breech-bolt, a movable abutment pivoted to the breech-bolt and having a depending arm; a guide below and parallel with the breech-bolt adapted to slidably support the movable abutment, a fixed abutment at the forward end of the guide adapted to be engaged by the movable abutment when the breech-bolt is projected, and a reciprocatory bar connected with the arm on said movable abutment; with a cartridge carrier mounted between the retracted breech bolt and the barrel; a pawl and lever for shifting v io' said carrierV so as to'successively present the cartridges 1n-.pos1t1on for insertion by the breech-bolt into the barrel, a cam on said barY for operating said pawl and lever, and means for retracting an empty shell from the barrel when the breech-boltls retracted.

2. In a gun the combination of a casing,V

abari'el connected therewith, a breech-bolt slida-bly Vmounted in said casing, a movable Vabutment pivoted to the breech-bolt and havment, a reciprocatory bar connected with the arm on said movable abutment, YSaid .arm moving in the slot ofthe guide; fineans for feeding cartridges between the retracted breech-bolt and the barrel, .a firing pin, a

l' trigger kfor releasing` Said pin7 and means :connected with the reclproeatory bar engaging the trigger when the bar 1s retracted for i v connected with the breech-bolt, a liked abutment adapted to beengaged by the movable abutment whenl the breech-bolt is projected, a reciprocatory bar connectedwith the Said movable abutment; means for, eeding'cartridges between the retracted breech-bolt and the'barrel; .a ring pin in the breech-bolt, a` spring for projecting the iring pin, means for locking the iringpin in cocked position when the breech-.bolt isprojected, a trigger for releasing theY firing pin, and aV rearwardly eXtendinglinger YOn the sliding bar engaging Said trigger when the bar is ref tracted for preventing premature release of the firing pin. j Y f f Y Vtestimonythat claim the oregoingas my Own I aiX my signature.

ALFONSO MERCER; Y

Qqpes of this patent may be obtained for five cents `each, by addressing the I`Gommssimrer of Patents,

Y Washington, 1).. 9.7 si v 1 

